Hi there! I guess many overseas fans are eager to know what’s going on with EXILE ATSUSHI. So I’ve tried to translate his message to English. Please feel free to share this post with other overseas EXILE fans.
From EXILE NESMITH on the House
【Message from EXILE ATSUSHI on EXILE official website】
31st August, 2016
To everyone who supports EXILE and EXILE ATSUSHI:
Thanks a lot for always supporting EXILE and EXILE ATSUSHI warmly. Today, I would like to make an announcement to everyone about my activities from now on. Please read this till the end.
Carrying my dream as a vocalist, I’ve entered the 15th anniversary of EXILE since the group’s debut.
In these 15 years, really a lot has happened. Up till now, there have been countless wonderful songs and encounters. Having been able to sing with all my heart, I am filled with emotions of thanks, deep virtues, miracles and blessings.
Of course, all these, since our debut, have happened thanks to the continuous support from many fans who stand by me all the time.
I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you very much.
Ever since I started to become a vocalist, my passion for singing has never faded. I have always been thinking how I could evolve as a vocalist. I wondered, for my fans who have been looking forward to my singing, how my singing would be of use to them even just for a little bit.
Up till now, I have been working hard as the vocalist of EXILE, or as an individual lyricist, song composer or producer of various songs.
What’s more, I’ve collaborated with esteemed artists, pursued solo activities and organized my solo dome tour this year. All these opportunities have really allowed me to gain important experiences.
The original members, HIRO, MATSU, ÜSA and MAKIDAI, who founded EXILE together with me 15 years ago, have all retired from front-stage performance. As the only remaining original member, my thought of improving myself to contribute more to EXILE and to bring the group to achieve higher goals has grown more intense.
While EXILE is about to enter its 15th anniversary, what the group, and myself, should do to go a stage further…
this is what I have been pondering in these few years.
EXILE nowadays consists of members who are concurrently working for other groups as well. We have somehow become an all-star corps. As the vocalist of such a group, every day, I feel like I should bring the group to a higher level.
The music of EXILE originated from R&B and dance music in America. For all fans in Japan, we have been trying to create a form of music that is easier to listen to. Furthermore, we have incorporated the unique Japanese elements of “the soul” and “the heart” to create a new genre of music. This has been the challenge for us.
During my activities, I have had the opportunities to work with great musicians from around the world. As a vocalist, I have decided to pursue further studies about music.
Up till now, I have been delivering my best to you all in Japan. I now seek to ascend to the next stage, by putting myself in adversity and going back to basics, to learn English and to equip myself with performing and singing skills of world-class level so as to become a world-class vocalist. I believe this is essential for making EXILE a world-class artist-group.
Therefore, I discussed with HIRO, EXILE members and staff and decided to temporarily migrate the base of my own activities overseas.
But then I think some of you may feel uneasy about my focusing on overseas activities. To help get rid of the distance of me being abroad, we would update all fans any time with my latest activities through the fan club, mobile, Weekly EXILE, EXILE Magazine and other media like Facebook.
However, to migrate the base of my activities overseas would mean a limit to my physical presence in Japan for a while. This does not only apply to my activities as EXILE ATSUSHI, but also EXILE activities. Therefore, we would not be able to give performances as EXILE for a while. We are very sorry to all the fans who have been supporting us all the time.
The migration of the base of activities is only temporary. Hereby, I promise to show you all the evolved EXILE ATSUSHI, and the performance of the evolved EXILE!
And that would be in the year 2018.
In the EXILE live tour “AMAZING WORLD” in 2015, I felt that the live entertainment of EXILE had reached its peak. To surpass the peak and create even greater EXILE entertainment, we have been preparing for this temporary shifting of activity base abroad.
All we want is to continue to create EXILE entertainment that everyone would enjoy and find amazing.
Even though this might be a selfish hope, I wish you could understand this decision and look forward to the evolved EXILE and EXILE ATSUSHI. I would be glad that if you could wait a little while until the year 2018.
Finally, there is something I have felt anew recently.
That is the possibility of how infinitely entertainment could go in the realm of the world.
This decision, for myself, is a huge one. But why could I make such a decision? That is because I have worked with several foreign artists and from our collaboration, I have felt “possibility”.
Spreading this “possibility” and further developing it may perhaps connect countries to one another.
For me, if I could speak the languages of different countries, I might understand their people better…
I have always felt such a limitless “potential” in this.
And so, in order not to end the possibility of this “if...”, I have made up my mind.
A miracle has happened.
And right in front of my eyes, it starts to occur.
To me, in the world I see and the way I see things, I can dream endlessly and chase whichever dreams wherever I am.
This is the best thing about chasing “dreams”. This is what I have finally realized.
But of course, the prerequisite is the presence of every one of you who have been supporting me.
That’s why, from now on, without being satisfied with the status quo, instead of being the “ATSUSHI who doesn’t change”, I wholeheartedly want to become the “new, constantly growing ATSUSHI”.
Always and ever, for all who have been there giving us their warmest support, I decide to work hard with all my efforts.
I hereby swear to become a singer who nourishes everyone’s heart. And I sincerely hope for your understanding.
To everyone,
thank you very much, always.
EXILE ATSUSHI
(Please bear with me that the translation may not be perfectly accurate.)
